Decisions
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Prompt from CoccinelleMenthol: During one of their lessons, Rumple finds out that Regina is his daughter (I don't know how, something to do with a spell), and how he reacts to the news would be entirely up to you.
1. Chapter 1

_Prompt from CoccinelleMenthol who was the 50th reviewer for Being A Brother: During one of their lessons, Rumple finds out that Regina is his daughter (I don't know how, something to do with a spell), and how he reacts to the news would be entirely up to you. _

_Hope this turned out okay :)_

I wait in the clearing for the queen to appear, I doubt she'll be late what with her thirst for power and vengeance now running rampant in her mind. This will ultimately be one of our final lessons, there is after all only so much knowledge I'm willing to impart and all she needs is enough power to rule her kingdom and enough to do what I need her for. She is a very powerful one indeed, I have oft wondered if there is magic in her blood since she has taken so effectively to it, much faster than her mother ever did. Well, I think to myself snickering slightly, I'll find out today once and for all. After all her eagerness has made her more than willing to be the guinea pig to the spells I teach her. Finally she appears in a puff of purple smoke with a smug smirk on her face, one that often accompanies any new trick she happens to master.

"Impressive dearie" a little praise to boost the ego never hurts.

She shrugs it off though I can tell from the slight twitch of her eye that she appreciates the praise. I'm well aware that Cora was not one for doling out praise over any sort of achievement and though others cannot see it I can see the queen's need for people's love and appreciation. Her voice interrupts the musings, "If we can get on with this?" her tone full of forced indifference and impatience but I sense that she would rather be here learning magic than in that castle hunting down Snow White.

"Yes, yes, wouldn't want to waste too much time from her Majesty now would I?"

She sighs, "Well you know, a kingdom to run, peasants to oversee and all" I do enjoy the sarcastic back and forth. It's nice to have verbal sparring partner, quite frankly dealing with simpering deal wanting peasantry all the time is rather boring.

"Fine dearie, today we shall be learning Sanguis Historia" her face as expected frowns in confusion as she works out the meaning of the two words, "What is the use of that?"

"Now, now dearie all spells have their merit, would you like to continue our magic lessons or shall I just take me time and services elsewhere?" I know she would rather suffer through what she sees as a pointless lesson than quit entirely.

She huffs and throws her hands up in surrender, much like a dramatic toddler I snicker to myself, "Fine, what is the use of this particular spell?"

"This spell enables you to see the entire bloodline of whomever you use this enchantment on without their knowing, could be very useful in gathering information about your potential allies and enemies now dearie"

I see her face go from one of confusion and turn into one of a far more sinister intent, a face that now knows the worth and value of a spell and I imagine knows a few fellow kings and queens she could ably use this on. Now sporting a wicked smirk she utters the phrase I was expecting, "Show me"

I giggle internally smiling at the way her spine stiffens at the sound and walk over to her. "Give me your hand" I say and she holds it out observing every move I make, "First off dearie, you need to locate the marriage line of the palm, just below the little finger here" I demonstrate placing my thumb over the lines there and trace them, "Now visualise the blood running underneath those lines and will the memories forth" as I say this I feel the images rise up out of her palm and see as expected Cora and her worthless miller father. Strange, I think when there is no sign of Cora's simpering useless husband or the former King. I push down further into the lines on her hand and stand there momentarily shocked as I watch a familiar image of an old coward being scorned by villagers. I watch stunned seeing my own face appear. That evil witch. How did I not see she lied? I pull my hand away from Regina's as if burned. I give the woman a quick look over seeing no clear signs until I reach her face, of course those eyes, damn, without a word of explanation I harness my magic and disappear leaving an extremely confused Regina standing in a clearing wondering what the hell just happened.

I appear in my palace and immediately start pacing, my current servant girl comes in and asks me if I need anything at which I scowl and dismiss her with a flick of my wrist and a warning about what will happen the next time she interrupts. How could this have happened? How could I not have seen that she was lying to me? That heartless bitch. She tricked me. We had a deal and she broke it. I seethe with anger for several minutes before grabbing a vase on the table and hurtling it to the wall. I watch it smash to pieces letting the anger flow as I throw more and more crockery at the walls leaving only one cup untouched.

With a flourish of my hand I reassemble the various plates and bowls and allow the shock to finally wash over me. I have a daughter. Cora's daughter. I can still feel my blood boiling at her deception. I wonder if Regina knows but then quickly remember asking her about her father when we first started all of this, she doesn't know. I can't tell her. I realise this straightaway, there's no way she would ever not see it as a trick.

At this I think back over her childhood and feel a fresh wave of anger knowing full well how Cora treated her. People can say what they like about me but I have never laid a hand on a child. I think of Bae. I never hurt him, not physically, but Cora, she was a different story entirely. That husband of her was a simpering fool, he let her hurt Regina, giving in at the slightest warning from Cora.

The realisation hits like a ton of bricks, I could have stopped her. My blood runs cold with guilt and horror as I think over Regina's childhood, her marriage and the magic lessons. I used my own daughter as a magical guinea pig. I sent her off on a path of darkness. I lost my son to a portal and unwittingly have manipulated and twisted my daughter so I can use her to get to him. I sit staring numbly at the wall before retreating to my study, hidden away from the prying eyes of my pesky servants.

I sit behind the desk and grab the picture of Bae. Part of me feels I should stop those magic lessons with Regina but how can I do that? One, there's no way I can stop without arising her suspicions and I don't need her poking around now and discovering the truth, secondly if I don't teach her she'll go to someone else and I'd much rather be the one in charge of schooling her in magic than some second rate wizard and finally, I need to get to my son, I need her to enact the curse and she's not ready. But can I really do this? Can I really force one child to do something as dark as this just so I can reach the other? But then can I give up on my search for Bae. Either way I risk losing one in favour of the other.

I sigh wishing the foresight I possess could provide me with the answer but when I ask for the future I just see both of their faces. Clearly the decision has been left up to me. I sit in silence for several hours watching the light to turn to dark outside, I'm conflicted, my connection to Bae is far too strong and I need to get back to him no matter what the cost. I resign myself to my decision knowing this will be far from easy. She'll want to finish her lessons but the least I can do is stop using her as a guinea pig, I muse, after that the curse. Just two more lessons and the curse. I know I'm trying to justify the sins I've committed in the past, the pain I've caused her in the past and the hurt I will potentially inflict on her in the future weeks to come, but this curse must come to pass.

She'll be happier in the new land, my mind is forcing these thoughts on me now, she'll be happier and I'll be able to find Bae. The curse will give grant Regina that second chance that she wants, she'll be free of magic, of her mother, of her quest for vengeance. I can see the sun rising in the distance turning the sky into a storm of clouds and colour. This will be painful, I think, but it's the only way I can be in a land with both my children even if she doesn't know, even if I don't know where he is. The curse is the only way. I keep repeating this to myself and hope this is enough to prepare me for what is to come.

* * *

This new town is irksomely quaint. We are all forced into the same routine day after day, it's monotonous but I see Regina that first morning and she looks happy enough. I still can't tell her now and I realise that I've doomed myself with this curse as I have no way of telling her without ceding the knowledge that I know who I am, I must keep my power after all. She has her power, I have mine. Soon I'll be able to find my son. I smile to myself as I peruse the various items stocked in the shop I've been given thinking to myself that I made the right decision.

It's on the third day that I get to the town line and find I cannot cross the line, not without forgetting who I am, and certainly not without magic which this land is devoid of. It's on the third day that Regina comes into my shop utterly miserable with the life she's been given and I know I can do nothing about it, not yet. It's on the third day that I realise I once again pushed her into a trap and separated myself from Bae.

It's on the third day that I know I failed.

_AN 2: Sanguis Historia (according to Google) literally means Blood History. Thanks for reading :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: A few people wanted some more chapters for this so I figured why not continue it? This will mostly be in Rumple's POV, I see it as mainly about the decisions Rumple must make and about how he goes about it. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like it :) Let me know what you think._

Time stands still in this town and I can do nothing about it. I am pretending I don't know who I am, identity is power and if Regina knows the truth it could change everything about how this curse is meant to run. Time though has given me plenty of chances to think and with thinking doubt has emerged. How do I know the spell was correct? I know Cora after all. If anyone knows how to fake the effects of a spell it would be her. It takes me a few days before I realise that in this land I can know for sure, all I need is some DNA from her.

I am lucky that the days repeat themselves here or my plan would certainly fail otherwise. I spend about a week watching her so I can know when to get into her house, every day I see her she's wearing a frown, before I would have rejoiced in her misery but now it just reminds me that my decision to come here, to force her into this curse, resulted in just causing her more pain. But that decision means that eventually I will find my son so it must be the right one.

She leaves her house to go fulfil her mundane duties as the mayor, I thought she would have enjoyed having all that power, she was queen and all, but power for some odd reason does not seem to have made her happy. I don't understand, power is vital after all. After her car is gone, I pull out my set of skeleton keys and walk out from my hiding position. I enter her house quickly and quietly, the mansion is certainly grand but something about it seems empty, the curse gave me a smaller home but it is filled with my possessions, I have the things that matter to me but it becomes quickly apparent to me that the curse has not given her the things it has given me. Her house is devoid of colour, of personal items, it just seems like a shell. I sigh wanting to leave this place as soon as possible.

I gather the evidence I need and quickly bribe the lab technician to run the test I need quietly and quickly making sure to hide the names of the samples, he won't remember tomorrow but I can't run the risk. I stand stoically watching as he looks at the samples, I'm not 100% certain of what he's doing, this science seems very strange to me, but I've heard that this is a sure-fire way of knowing the truth. Finally he's finished and hands me the piece of paper before leaving me alone with the results.

Positive.

* * *

I stand in my shop still staring at the piece of the paper, well I wanted proof after all and now I have it. It is only now that I hold the results in my hand that I wonder why I did this, I can do nothing about these results. Or can I? Can I tell her? I flip my store sign shut so that I can muse over this in private. I wish I had my seer powers right now, magic does come in handy at certain points and in terms of making this decision it would definitely help.

What would happen if I told her? It's highly unlikely that she would run into my arms and wish to have some sort of typical father/daughter relationship, and even if she did how do you become a parent to someone who already had a father? A father who I had her kill. I frown knowing that there is no chance she would ever forgive me for that let alone the other interactions from our past. Even if we could overlook that there is the matter of how I explain the fact that I know, that I have known now for nearly a year and not told her. I'm well aware of how she feels about secrecy and people keeping things hidden from her, even if I did tell her our relationship would immediately start off with betrayal.

Then there is the problem of being my daughter. I think of Bae and the taunts and isolation he suffered as a result of being my child. Would the same happen to Regina were the truth to emerge? Even here I am not the most liked person in town, in fact most people cower in fear, I smirk revelling in my power and influence before I remember that if this curse breaks the stigma of being Rumpelstiltskin, and the resulting stigma of being associated with me will certainly haunt my children. Am I really willing to force that on another one of my children? Bae suffered so badly he was willing to go through a portal to an unknown land just to get away but once again my thirst for power won out. I sigh thinking about the misery I've caused my children.

Can I really tell her? All these years later and I can still here Milah's voice ringing in my ears, calling me a coward. It's on days like this when I wonder if she was right, a brave man would face up to this decision, he would step up and admit the truth. But I cannot do it, it would be unfair to her to tell her the truth, all the revelation would bring would be suffering and pain. Surely that does not make me a coward? If I'm keeping this hidden to protect her than is it not the right decision?

Not to mention the ramifications of telling her, Regina has always been a tempestuous sort of person and quite frankly it is sometimes hard to tell how she will react. I trained her well, I think, she is skilled in the arts of manipulation, deception and revenge. No doubt those three skills will be why she won't believe me in the first place, even if she does I doubt Regina will be very pleased with this knowledge.

Then there's the curse. I pushed her into this and I know she is unsatisfied with her current lot in life. I know she'll more than likely blame for her boredom and misery as well since I created this curse. She was unhappy in our land as well but back then it didn't bother me so much, now I know I am the cause and all I can do is watch her be miserable. If I reach out to her she'll certainly be suspicious and I must avoid that if I wish to keep the truth hidden.

No, I can't tell her. It might make me a coward but so be it. The truth will only cause more harm after all. This after all must be my curse, to watch from afar and not be able to help, not yet anyway. I still remember the way this curse works, there may still be a chance for me to give Regina her happy ending even if she doesn't know why I am helping. I just need to wait this out, until then I have to live with the results of what I've done, once again I am merely her former teacher and her current enemy. I sigh with a frown knowing that this is the only connection to her I can salvage. In this land, given the choices I made previously, it is all I can hope to have with her.

Eighteen years.

That is how long I have to wait.

I can be patient. For eighteen years. I just hope she can.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Okay here is Chapter Three, this is mainly to do with Rumple getting Henry for Regina but also includes a flashback to something Rumple refers to in 2x02 (when he tells Regina he held her in his arms once). I still don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you're enjoying this fic, let me know what you think of it. :)_

Luckily the systems here, though seemingly woeful at actually caring for a child, especially not the one I'm interested in, make it easy to track the Charming's infant. Emma Swan. The key to my daughter's happiness and to me finding my son. There's a brief moment seventeen years into the curse when the girl seems to fall right off the grid but luckily for me she reappears a few months later, but in the jail system. An auspicious start for the saviour I think but it shall certainly make my task a lot easier.

I sigh in my empty house, Regina was not lying when she promised with an estate, the house is certainly grand in terms of size and I have so much money and influence, yet I cannot truly wield it, I cannot put that money to use. Not to mention that despite my ease at keeping track of Miss Swan, I have no leads whatsoever on Bae. As for Regina, she is easy to keep track of, I'll admit she is certainly a highly efficient mayor and does seem to thrive in the leadership role I crafted her for. A small part of me takes pride in that, she is a highly successful woman. However that feeling is most often squashed down by the reminders of exactly how I taught her these leadership skills and by the sight of her growing boredom and misery.

Now though I have a way to fix that. It's just a matter of planting the seed for the idea in her mind so I call her down to the shop on the pretence of some petty land issue. I still have not figured out a good way to tell her the truth and as each day goes by I know that my ability to do so is diminishing, each passing day means another measure of betrayal and secrecy so I settle for being a thorn in her side. I settle for petty disagreements, normally I or she caves on whatever small issue I conjure up to see her each day but still it is time spent with her regardless.

She saunters into the shop with her mayoral confidence and her plastered on smirk. "Gold" she says in a snippy biting tone as a greeting. Years of repeating the same mundane tasks and loneliness has chipped away at her leaving her bitter and annoyed. I see her staring wistfully at a small mobile of glass horses when she thinks I'm not looking, "A lovely piece isn't it?" I ask sidling up next to her.

"Indeed" she sighs, "What did you want Gold?"

"Oh nothing dearie, just wanted to see if you got my planning request for that land in the woods?"

"I'll check with my secretary" she replies still staring at the mobile.

"Why don't you buy it dearie?"

She sighs again before turning to me with a pained and disappointed look on her face, "To what end?"

I frown at her and know this is definitely the time to bring the idea up, "For a child dearie"

"I don't have one of those and there certainly aren't any volunteers to give me one" she snips back. I raise a confused brow, "What about the Sheriff?" I say knowingly, given I am all too aware that there was some sort of arrangement going on there early in the curse. "That ended and is none of your concern"

"There's always adoption" I suggest.

I see her thinking over how to reply obviously thinking that I don't know about the restrictions of this little down.

"Can you organise that?" she asks quizzically.

I nod, "I can indeed dearie"

"For a price I assume?"

For once I wasn't going to ask for a price but if she's offering, I do after all have a reputation as a dealmaker to uphold, "Well dearie I would like to build myself a cabin in the woods…" I leave it hanging and wait for her to take the bait.

She smiles to herself, a small one that I've seen before when she has come to a decision and believes herself to be the winner of the argument, "Deal" she grins.

* * *

It's a good thing the curse made me an attorney in this land as well as a pawnbrokers, otherwise I would be far too easily lost in all this adoption paperwork. As it is, even though she is a highly intelligent woman, it takes me a painstakingly long time to explain it all to Regina. It takes several meetings wherein the woman gets frustrated and huffs and snaps at me for making it confusing as if it all my fault. I run my hands over my face to stop myself from yelling at the woman, must she make things so damn difficult? Admittedly given who her mother was and what I'm like I suppose her quick temper should not be a huge surprise to me.

"Mayor Mills" I begin, "If you just sit down I can take you through this part" this is the last piece of paperwork she needs to sign before she can take custody of Swan's infant. I had to work very carefully to ensure that Regina would be the one to get him, it must be him. He will bring Regina happiness to be sure, but without him Miss Swan will not come to town and the curse will remain in place, and I can't have that.

She sighs in frustration before sitting down regally in her swivel chair behind the mayor's desk, "Is all this damn paperwork really necessary. I swear you just bring this round to fill up my time" she grumbles. I smirk, "Yes Mayor Mills, I do this just to irritate you but you do want this child do you not?" I ask and she gives me a knowing glare effectively answering my question. "Well this passage here confirms that you are willing to provide for the child in all his educational, health and financial needs" she nods in understanding and I direct her to where she needs to sign. I move to stand and pick up the completed paperwork, "Well Miss Mills, that is all the paperwork signed and done, I shall contact you when I have information for you" I see the look of hope mixed with the fear of disappointment, that I may not deliver, wash over her face before her mask falls into place. "Well thank you Gold, I guess that will be all" and with a small flourish of her hand I am dismissed leaving her to another stack of papers and reports to fill out.

* * *

I use one of my few remaining magical charms to weaken the border spell allowing Storybrooke to be visible for the Arizona social services as well as ensuring that the social worker was able to enter and leave the town to no ill effect. I have the child dropped off at my store and ensure the social worker, who seems rather impatient to leave anyway, that I will safely deliver the child to his new mother. I have not told her that the child is coming today, she knows she's getting one but I wanted to surprise her.

The sleeping baby in my backseat brings back memories of my own son and holding him for the first time as an infant. I smile to myself at the memory at my precious baby boy, and wish I had had more time with him, he was such a good baby as well, slept well, not too sickly and generally such a happy child. Before I know it I pull up outside the mansion and pick the car-seat up in my arm. As I shift the seat in my arm so it is more comfortable and easier to carry, my head still swimming with memories of my own young son, I realise that Cora took that from me with Regina. I held her in my arms once. Just once.

_ Cora has had her baby. I feel the fresh sting of anger and betrayal as she hoists the child in the air like some kind of trophy forcing the peasants to bow down beneath her daughter. She announces her name: Regina. Regina, it rings in my ears, Regina, Regina the queen. I frown, Cora thinks that changing our deal means she's won. Doesn't she know that no-one defeats me?_

_ It's ridiculously easy to sneak into her castle, I stick to the shadows and creep down the hallways until I reach the nursery. I frown, when Bae was a baby he slept in a crib right next to me and Milah, Cora and her simpering weakling of a husband have left the small child alone in a room all the way down the hall. It would serve them right were I to take the child right now but I have a point to prove here and I can't be too hasty._

_ I lean over to look at the baby, cute, I don't see much of Henry in her though, and she must have got her looks from Cora's side. The child squirms and opens her eyes looking right at me, I grin at the baby and she smiles back at me before waving a chubby arm in the air. I scoop the child into my arms easily and sit down in a rocking chair in the corner of the nursery, I look down at the baby who has stilled in my arms and think of my dear Bae. This child, I think will be the one who gets me to him. I sit in the dark and sing an old lullaby to her and wait. It doesn't take long for Cora to appear. She walks in and gasps upon seeing me holding her small daughter._

_"She isn't yours" are her first words, not give me my daughter, not let her go but she isn't yours. This is how she sees her child: as a possession. I frown._

_"Now, now dearie, don't worry I remember our deal, just thought I'd pay a visit and see the new princess" _

_The woman smiles at the title, her thirst for power winning out over her concern for the child, "She will be queen"_

_"So you've said dearie, will take quite the upbringing to ensure she's ready for that"_

_She smirks, "Don't worry Rumple, I'll make sure she's prepared"_

_ I frown unsure if I should pass the infant off to the cold woman or just vanish with her in my arms. I look at the squirming baby who stares up at me, I swear I can almost see a pleading look in her eyes, but I must get to Bae and I'm sure Cora can give her the upbringing that will push her right into my arms. I just need to be patient. If I remember correctly it is just eighteen years and what's eighteen years when you have eternal life? I pass the baby into Cora's arms and she blinks in surprise. Without another word I disappear leaving her standing confused in the nursery._

I shudder at the memory now realising that I willing handed over my own daughter to that woman. I could have taken her away from that life. I could have saved her. I look down at the sleeping baby in the car-seat and hope that giving Regina her child might work to negate that. I knock on the mansion door and Regina opens it clearly confused at having visitors before she looks down at the baby in my arm and I see her face light up with the most beautiful smile. She doesn't even bother putting up a mask but instead grins at me, "Is he…" she starts to ask before I hand her the car-seat. "He's yours Regina, take good care of him, don't follow your mother's example, and love your son" I say.

She frowns at my words clearly confused by my comment on her mother but she doesn't have time to ponder it as the baby starts to whimper in his seat. "Hey" she whispers before picking him up, "Hi Henry". I stiffen immediately at her name choice before remembering that she knows him as her father so why wouldn't she honour him by making her baby his namesake. I turn to her and see her still smiling with a few happy tears running down her cheeks. She notices me staring but doesn't stop smiling, "Thank you" she says and in this moment she is so unlike her mother, when I handed Regina back to Cora there was just confusion and coldness, Regina on the other hand is full of a happiness and warmth that I wanted for her.

I nod to her and revel in the fact that today, I made the right choice even if I didn't all those years ago, even though I will be the cause of this happiness shattering in ten years time. Today I made her happy.

_AN 2: That be all for today. I don't know when the next part of this will be up, I need to update A Dream Can Change It All first but I'm hoping I might get this updated on Thursday. _


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Sorry this is late but life and work prevented me getting this up sooner. I don't own Once or its characters, this includes some dialogue from 1x12 (not exactly because I can't remember precisely what was sad). Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like this chapter :)_

For nine years I watch my daughter and grandson. I stand on the outside of their life knowing I cannot intrude, part of me feels as if I have missed the window to tell her now. Our interactions are ambivalent and hostile, when we go up against each other, it is as enemies not as family. My solace comes from her happiness. Henry brings some light into her life, she smiles more, a happy one that I realise I've not really seen before. I watch as he grows up, for the most part they seem to have a good relationship, it's clear to me that I made the right decision in procuring the child for her, she loves him and he loves her.

Until one day I notice that she isn't smiling and Henry seems angrier, more suspicious, more alert to the goings on of the town. I realise she must have told him that he was adopted, the boy is a curious one, I imagine he must have asked her and she decided to tell him the truth. She sends him to the cricket in hopes of repairing her fragile relationship with her son but it fails.

I used to have my doubts about what I am about to do today but seeing Regina's current misery and Henry's rejection of her as his mother I know that once again I failed to provide her happiness. Breaking the curse is the only way to have everything. Once I discovered the barrier spell I knew that the curse I created would have to be undone but for there were moments in these past few years where I've wondered if I should just let it continue, let Regina continue to be happy but I know now that the curse I gave her has stopped giving her real happiness. Without the love of Henry she is stuck as miserable as I am, but if I ensure Emma does her job then I can find my son, I can tell Regina the truth and maybe I can help her.

I watch as Snow's meek teacher counterpart wanders into the shop and tells me she's looking for a birthday present for one of her pupils. I know she means Henry and I have the ideal gift. Regina has raised Henry to be smart, to be curious and I know that once he gets this book he will put the pieces together, he will figure out the truth and with that knowledge he can get Emma here. Emma. Once she arrives the curse will weaken and I can track down Bae, I can push Regina in the right direction, I can help be happy. I smirk to myself knowing I will find a way to have both of my children. It doesn't take long for Mary Margaret to see the unique book of stories and it immediately piques her interest, it takes pitifully little manipulation on my part to get her to purchase the item and she leaves my shop. Now all I can do is wait and hope that this decision will provide the desired results.

It doesn't take long, Henry's birthday arrives and he is given that book. He ignores the shower of gifts Regina rains upon him and sticks to studying the book. I can tell she is growing nervous as he begins to work out who people are and especially who she is, the child begins to formulate a plan and as I watch my daughter grow more fearful she retreats into coldness and manipulation. I frown, this was not what I wanted but alas I cannot stop the plan I have set in motion, not if I wish to find my son.

It is on the day that I see Regina frantically entering the Sheriff's office and panicking at the school that I know the day has come. Henry has journeyed to find the Saviour. I know my plan is beginning to work as expected but still one must double-check these things, luckily I own the only place that guests of the town can stay in. It's just a matter of timing my arrival and if there's one thing being a master of magic for hundreds of years provides you with it is the skill of timing. I enter the quaint inn under the guise of seeking rent and see the grown child of Snow and Charming. Yes, I can definitely see her parents in her, she tells the old widow that she'll be here for just one week but I know that isn't true. I know the pull of parenthood and now that she has seen her child she will find herself unable to leave until she can be sure of his happiness.

I am content to watch as Regina collides with Miss Swan in the aims of forcing her out, she doesn't seem to realise that all she is doing is pushing her son further into Emma's arms. I sigh, wishing she would see what her actions are costing her but she doesn't. Her fears over the curse being broken and losing Henry have blinded her to the fact that those two things are more and more in danger of happening. The weeks go past and Henry distances himself more and more from my daughter, I watch as she grows colder and lonelier, her actions are grower rasher, Miss Swan has certainly gotten under her skin and it has stopped her from planning ahead. All that comes to a head when our Sheriff also chooses Emma instead of her. That rejection pushes her straight back into her evil queen mode, where she acts rather than thinks. I can see that in the ensuing days and weeks that she places that action in her regrets.

I am once again pushed into the role of her enemy. She really thinks I would sit idly by and let that simpering idiot Glass be Sheriff, one could only imagine what that would do to Storybrooke's crime rate. It is easy to convince Emma now that she wants to stay for Henry and wants to beat Regina. Part of me wonders if I should get such a rush from beating my own daughter like this but this will ultimately work well for her so surely that's fine. She'll see that I'm right when this damn curse is finally broken and we can be a family.

I take a risk for this election and arrange for a fire at the mayor's office, necessary danger. As I am about to set the fire in place I pause, what if Emma doesn't save her? Or what if I mistime this or make a mistake? I know full well what is at cost here. I take a deep breath and go over the calculations in my head, the fire department will arrive in minutes, the fire will not be a large one and Miss Swan after all is a Saviour, and disregarding that her connection to Henry will be enough to ensure that she does not leave Regina behind. Nonetheless my breath hitches in my chest and the air somehow feels thicker in my shop while I wait for news. It's only when I learn that Emma did as expected and that Regina, aside from a sprained ankle, is perfectly fine do I release a breath and feel relief wash over me. The moment of concern mildly startles me to begin with but I have noticed that since Miss Swan came to town I can feel my desire to protect Regina grow stronger.

Unsurprisingly my plan comes together nicely and Emma remains Sheriff which will work well for me. She does after all owe me a favour, one that I will cash in when the time is right and I know full well when to pick my battles, the same cannot be said for the Sheriff and Mayor of this town. Regina and Emma are sometimes rash in their reactions to each other. Regina, a little less so, I do see evidence of those skills of manipulation and scheming, lessons learnt I think bitterly from both Cora and myself. I watch, feeling mildly proud, as Regina ably and easily lures Emma right into a trap that only disadvantages the Sheriff.

Valentine's Day rolls around like a horrible nightmare. The upcoming day causes a sickening pit of anger in my stomach and I can't help but toy with Belle's father, after what he did to her he deserves it. After I walk away from him revelling in my victory I come across a smirking Regina who wishes to speak to me. I can tell from her expression and insistence that she knows I know who I am, I choose to play my hand and use our 'please' deal both dismissing her and furthering her suspicions.

Someone dares break into my house and boy did they know just what to take to anger me, that Moe French fool is even smarter than I thought or someone put him up to the crime. I look and see that a load of crockery is missing, the piece of paper is gone and Belle's cup is missing. That last one causes my blood to boil, it's not enough that he caused her pain and misery but now he takes the one thing I have left of her.

Emma calls me down to her station and I feel a brief bubble of hope even though part of me knows that the one thing I want won't have been recovered. Not yet. I bluntly and angrily tell the Sheriff that she has retrieved nothing, leaving her confused, before storming off determined to find Moe French and make him pay.

It's surprisingly easy to divert Emma and I drive to the cabin with ease before throwing the florist inside and asking him where it is. He doesn't answer and I can feel my anger rising to the surface. He continues to give the wrong answers to my questions and finally I snap feeling the rage from what he did to Belle flow out of me as I hit him over and over. I have no control over these actions, I want this man to pay. I vaguely feel something stopping me before I turn and see the Sheriff has stumbled upon me and taken it upon herself to save this worthless florist.

She arrests me and it is when Regina saunters cockily into the Sheriff's station and gives Emma thirty minutes with Henry that I know she set the theft up and that she has it. She's all confidence until I say 'please' and then she gives a disgruntled glare at being forced to be under my power for this conversation.

"I just have one question" she begins, "What is your name?"

I smile knowing full well the importance of a name, "Mr Gold"

"Your real name" she clarifies clearly losing her patience.

I smirk deciding to toy with this, does she really think I would give over the information she desires straight off? "In all the time I've spent in this land my name has been Mr Gold"

She gives a positively evil smirk before leaning in a little, "What about time spent in another land?"

"What is it you're asking me dearie?"

"I think you know. What is your name?" she repeats still upholding her mask of indifference to my answer.

I give her a knowing look before finally ceding to her request, the tension palpable in the air at this point, "Rumplestiltskin. Now hand it over her" I add angrily determined to reclaim what's mine.

She gives a small smile before reaching into her purse, "Such hostility" she mutters her voice sardonic.

"That's right" I reply before grabbing the cup as she plays with it dangerously, I study her for a moment and can see traces of myself and Cora in here now as she smirks devilishly and finds her victory in my answer. I lean closer to the bars, "Now let's remember how things used to be Your Majesty" I practically spit out those last two words, she may be my daughter but I can't let anyone feel as if they have the upper hand against me. "Don't let these bars fool you dearie, I'm the one with the power around here"

She smirks before standing, hands wrapped around the bars before once again she gives that playfully evil smirk, "We shall see" at that she moves to walk away before she stops something on the table having grabbed her attention.

I follow her gaze and see that it has landed on the goods the Sheriff recovered. I watch unable to stop her as she walks nearer to the table. My breath catches in my throat as I realise what she's seen. Oh no. I'm not prepared for this now. She lifts the piece of paper in her hands and quickly reads it. There's nowhere for me to run.

Her head turns to me, face a myriad of emotions. I can see shock, confusion, anger and disbelief dancing across her face as she stalks back over to me brandishing the paper as if it were a deadly weapon. I can see tears brimming in her lids as she studies my face intently. Finally she clasps the paper in her hands before looking up again. Her voice laden with anger and sadness rings out in the empty silence of the Sheriff's station, "Is this true?"

_This time I won't leave you hanging too long, this should hopefully be updated in the next few days. Let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks for reading :)_


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: This took me a couple of more days than I thought to upload. Sorry :( I hope you like this chapter, I'm going back home for summer in a couple of days so I'm going to be insanely busy, plus it's Father's Day weekend so I might not be able to update until next week. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Let me know what you think :)_

"Is this true?" she repeats her tone icy as her fist clenches around the paper, I can hear it crunching in her grasp and see her knuckles turning white from the force. Her face is oscillating between building outrage and horror.

This is not how I wanted to do this conversation, not here, I decide to keep my voice calm hoping to keep this situation civil. "Regina" I say but she cuts me off, a look of realisation crossing her face, "It's true" she mutters more to herself than me as she slumps defeatedly onto the sofa.

"Regina" I try again knowing that we don't have long before Sheriff Swan and Henry return. "No" she murmurs, "No, no, no, no, no" I can see the weight of the words on that piece of paper crashing down on her as she begins to pant for breath, clearly panicking.

"Regina, you need to calm down"

"No you don't tell me what I need" she says turning back to face me, her expression a mask of utter anger. She brandishes the paper again, re-reading it before throwing it through the bars at me, "No this is some trick of yours, I don't know how you did this but it's a lie. It's a lie" she says emphasising the last three words.

I sigh, I should have seen the rejection and disbelief coming but it hurts nonetheless. "Regina, it isn't a lie"

Her head snaps to me, "You're lying" I can hear the desperation and anger in her voice.

I sigh, "I'm not Regina, this" I say picking up the paper, "is real. If you need more proof we can have another one done but this is true"

She continues shaking her head, a few tears beginning to slip their way out of eyes which are still flashing with rage and betrayal, "It can't be true"

I don't know what to say to that, how do I convince her that this is not a trick? Given our history I know why her mind jumped straight to this being a lie, our past being one littered with deception. She looks like she's going to be sick, I think as I watch her try and process this from behind the bars, any pretence of that mask she typically wears is gone instead her face is horror and pain stricken.

After several horrifically tense moments of silence where the air seems to be getting more and more fraught with the tension building between us, she finally turns back to me, "How long have you known?" she asks trying to lace venom into her tone but failing due to the slight hitch of sobs catching between her words.

I see no point in lying to her about this now even though I know full well that my answer will not help, if anything the truth is about to make things worse. I should have known back then that I would end up paying for the decisions I made, I just hope that they don't end up costing me my daughter. "Do you remember our lessons?" I ask.

She nods.

"Do you remember the day I showed you the Sanguis Historia?"

At my question I see a look flash across her eyes as she clearly takes herself back to that day. I watch as she runs through the memory before turning to me with an icy look, "So that's why you left"

I nod, "I was somewhat surprised dearie" I mutter, failing to rein in my sarcastic tone.

She glares at my sardonic tone, "Why didn't you tell me?" she asks and I really wish that the pain wasn't so obvious in her voice.

I pause for breath wondering how to explain this to her, "I couldn't tell you the truth, not back then"

Her tone doesn't waver from anger and sorrow, she continues to glare at me through the bars as her interrogation perseveres, "Why not?"

I have no good answer to this question, my lips purse and refuse to form words as I sit in silence as I watch my daughter's face as it falls in realisation, "The curse" her lips form a cold sneer as she speaks those two words.

"The curse" she repeats, voice dripping in disdain before it rises "You needed me to cast your curse"

"Regina, I" but she cuts me off, "No, you don't get to speak, you knew and you used me!" she spits out. "Oh god" she gasps a look of horror ghosting across his features, "My Daddy, you made me kill him. Why?" her voice cracks from anguish on that last question and I gulp. I look down to my watch and realise we only have a few more minutes until Emma and Henry return.

"Regina, I don't think now is the time to get into all of this"

"No" she says standing with her fists clenched, "Now. Why? What was so important that you would make me do that?" again her voice cracks with emotion on the last words as if she cannot bring herself to say her actions aloud.

I sigh, "I have a son"

"Did you manipulate him too?" she asks bitterly.

I shake my head, "It was long before I met your mother, just after I became the Dark One, my boy made a deal with that pesky Blue Fairy who gave him a bean so he could go to a land without magic. He wanted me to go through the portal with him but I refused to give up my power. By the time I realised my mistake it was far too late, from that day I vowed that I would find a way to get to my son"

"And I was your way" she cuts in and I can hear the tears hiding in her voice.

I look up to her and see the devastation painted on her face and at that the full ramifications of my decision hits me properly, what have I done? I look at her pain and her haunted expression and realise just what my decisions have done to my own daughter. I chose to find my son at the expense of my daughter. How have I not seen this before?

"Regina, I'm sorry" I say meekly.

"No" she nearly yells before standing on now wobbly feet, "No, you're a liar, you are not my father" she says trying to control her voice but failing. We both hear footsteps approaching and she grits out, "Just leave me alone" before turning and stalking out of the room. I hear Henry, voice laced with concern, asking her what's wrong, to which I hear her grimly reply nothing. I wonder if he can tell it's a lie.

I vaguely hear her heels hurriedly click-clacking out of the office as she asks Miss Swan to look after Henry for a few more hours. "Okay" Emma says confusedly as she and Henry come into the office. "What was that all about?" she asks.

"No idea, do you think she's okay?" Henry asks.

"I'm sure she's fine kid, maybe she's just having a bad day"

I listen to the Sheriff attempt to reassure my grandson and can barely take it. I need to get out of her and try and find Regina. I need to talk to her. I sigh and rest my face in my hands, god that all escalated so fast and so badly, I knew she wouldn't react well. Goddamn this piece of paper I think trying to smooth it out in my hands. If only that Sheriff could lock evidence up instead of just leaving it out in the open.

"So what did you say to Regina?" Emma asks sauntering over to the bars and folding her arms.

"That's none of your business Miss Swan" I say dismissively.

She doesn't let up, "What's that piece of paper?"

"That's my concern" I grit out, "Now if you will excuse me" I have no time to answer her questions, I turn to avoid her confused looks and Henry's studious stare so I can try and figure out a way out of this damn cell. After that all I need to do is find Regina and attempt to explain my decisions to her. I sigh again knowing that the next few days will be difficult but there's so much more I need to say to her. Now I just have to hope she will listen.


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Okay, all my unpacking is done so I had time to write this up, depending on how the chapters work out as I write them there's probably only going to be 4/5 chapters left to this. I have actually rejigged how this is going to end up. I don't own Once or its characters. The original prompt for this story belongs to CoccinelleMenthol. Apologies for any mistakes. Thank you to the people reading and reviewing. Hope you like this chapter :)_

I spend one restless and uncomfortable night in that ridiculous jail cell, tossing and turning for several minutes before eventually giving up any pretence of sleep. Fortunately the nature of my crime and my wealth in this land means I am able to get out of this damn place with bail. I scoff, does she not realise with all my power and influence that there is no chance of this case ever making it to trial? The sheriff warns me to stay from Moe French and I resist the urge to roll my eyes at the notion, the less time I spend around that man the better.

As I'm leaving she once again asks what occurred between myself and Regina yesterday. Dear god, has the woman never heard of privacy? I curtly inform her that the conversation was none of her business and quite frankly it isn't. What happened is between me and my daughter, if she wishes to tell people then I will respect that wish, but otherwise I suspect she would rather others didn't know. Part of me suspects she wishes she didn't know but I push that part down hoping instead that Regina will be more receptive today.

I make my way slowly over to the town hall knowing that if Regina even lets me into her office that any conversation is not likely to be a pleasant one. As I begin the walk to down the hallway to her office, which seems somehow much longer today, I wonder what exactly I should say to her. Do I beg for another chance? I scoff at the notion, I do not beg for anyone. A second chance, though highly unlikely, would be a tolerable result. I'm well aware that I can't go back and raise her or be the one who taught her to walk or talk or any of the things I went through with Bae, but over time I would appreciate the chance to build a relationship with her.

I realise I've reached the end of the hallway and approach her irksome assistant's desk. He looks nervous and he gulps upon seeing me. "Mr Gold" he stammers out, "D-id you have an appointment?"

I shake my head, "No but is she available?"

"She's not accepting any visitors today" he replies, I have a feeling he's had to say this several times already today. I, however am not one of the simpering peasants of this town, I lean in and curl my lip in a sneer at him, "Why don't you check?" I ask slipping a slight threat into my tone. It's the subtleties really that are key in getting what you need. He sighs and gulps again before picking up his phone with a slightly shaky hand. "Madam Mayor" he begins in a meek voice, "Mr Gold is here to see you"

I don't hear what is on the other line but he looks up at me nervously as she speaks to him, "I told him that Mayor Mills" he startles as the phone is abruptly clicked off and we hear the phone slam down in the other room. The air crackles with an angry tension as she storms out into the office, I can see that her eyes are slightly red-rimmed but is downplayed by the obvious outrage playing across her features, "Get out" she snaps in my direction.

"Regina" I say cautiously stepping towards her. She glowers at me, "I said get out" her tone is cold and harsh, "We have no business to discuss" at that she spins on her heels and walks back into her office without looking back.

* * *

This process repeats for several days. Every day I go in to be told she absolutely cannot be disturbed, I pester that ridiculous assistant of hers until he forces her to come out of the office, she refuses to speak to me. I sigh becoming more and more exasperated by this routine. Does she not realise that I will keep coming back until she talks to me? I have spent centuries looking for one child and I would do the same for the other as well. I won't give up on this, I don't think I have it in me to lose another child, so I will keep returning to her office for as long as it takes.

I hint a stroke of luck after a week of this process, her assistant is off so I can get into her office without having to deal with him. I walk in through the door and lock it behind me, her head snapping up from her paperwork at the sound. She immediately frowns upon seeing that it's me before returning to her files, "We have nothing to discuss" I have become tired of hearing those five words over and over from here, we have things to discuss and I would like to discuss them now. I walk over to her desk and place my hands over her paperwork, "Actually we do"

"Fine" she snaps throwing her pen down before standing so she's at my level. "What is it you want to discuss?" she asks bitterly.

"Can we please just talk about it?"

She frowns, crossing her arms, "Talk about what? How you lied to me? How you tricked me? How you manipulated me? Or better yet, how even though you knew I was your daughter how you used me so you could find your first child?"

I blink at her angry resentful tone, I should have known that the damage of the past would inflict upon our future but I realise that I don't know how to fix the consequences of my prior decisions. "I am sorry that I have caused you pain in the past" I begin before she cuts me off with a borderline hysterical laugh, "Caused me pain? You want to put it that simply? You left me with a mother who abused me, you manipulated me to teach me magic, you practiced all those spells on me and you pushed me into killing my daddy and you think an apology will do? What did you expect? Me to go running into your arms grateful to have a father in my life?" she pauses to suck in a breath and I can see the tears spilling down her cheeks.

I sigh, "Regina, I know I can't fix any of what happened between us in the past and I truly am sorry that I am the root of so much of that pain, but I want to move forward"

"Move forward?" she asks sardonically. "You want to move forward?" she gives me a sadistic sneer before inching closer to me, "Well guess what? You know that little story I spun you about your dearest Belle?"

I can tell she's trying to taunt me, make me blow up at her, so I take a deep breath and school myself into remaining calm. She continues, a twisted smirk on her face, "I lied"

I feel my features change at her words. She lied? I shouldn't be surprised but how did I not know that she lied to me? Like mother, like daughter I think bitterly as I feel the anger building up inside of me. Seeing her watching with that half bitter, have evil smirk on her face isn't helping, "What did you do?" I ask stepping closer to her, trying my best to suppress my anger right now.

She continues to bait me, keeping her tone rich with an innocent sweetness that does not match the story she's about to tell me, "I found her and held in one of my prison cells, a model prisoner, you clearly taught her well" she knows how to hit where it hurts and I suck in a breath, "she's not dead, she's in the hospital" she teases.

I can practically feel my blood boiling, I know what she's doing, she's telling the truth, that much I can tell, but she wants me to lose my temper, she wants me to lose control. I realise that she wants to hurt me like I hurt her, I realise that I am the one who taught her to think like that and my anger becomes tinged with guilt.

Part of me still wants to wipe that smirk off her face but I remind myself that she is my daughter that this one evil despicable crime against me pales against what I've inflicted on her. I feel a spark suddenly light up in my heart, this means that Belle is alive. My anger is becoming clouded and I can see Regina still soaking up my reaction. Before I can stop myself I grab her arm and pull her off the desk, she is too stunned to say anything. It is only as we descend down her hallway that she returns to her senses, "Unhand me now" she says low and dangerously.

I shake my head, "No, you are going to take me to Belle and then we are going to talk" I make sure to keep my voice steady and deadly serious. She is not weaselling her way out of this conversation. I've been letting her control this for the past week but the truth about Belle has snapped something in me, I decide I need to force this, if nothing else so we can at least clear the air. She continues to make bitchy snippy comments all the way to the hospital. It's in the parking lot when she turns to me with a bitter smirk and says, "So still want that nice family reunion Rumple? You, me and your crazy girlfriend. What a dinner that will be?" I cut her off, "Be Quiet" I say punctuating each word. She turns to me an affronted look on her face, "Excuse me?" she asks incredulous.

I turn to her, "I said be quiet, I've been listening to you make your snippy remarks this entire journey, I listened to you when you told me about Belle and I listened when you said to leave"

"You came back" she mumbles.

"Yes dearie I came back. You can try and push me away as much as you like, but despite how angry I am right now Your Majesty" I hear the slight venom in my voice as I say her title and take care to soften my tone, "You are my daughter. I know you don't like it but I am not asking for much, I just want a chance to try and build a relationship with you and if you're willing in the future with Henry. I want to help you Regina. You can either keep pushing me away or we can try. Either way I'm going to keep coming back" I finish and exit the car leaving her sitting stunned in the passenger seat.


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: Sorry this took so long to get up, had this written yesterday but due to my father's rule that the internet must go off at 8pm I could not actually upload it! I don't own Once or its characters. Thank you to the people who reviewed. Hope you like this chapter :)_

I enter the hospital slowly unsure of exactly where I'm supposed to be going, I know Regina won't have hidden Belle anywhere obvious. I pause at the threshold of the hospital, does she have a cursed identity? What kind of condition will she be in? These worries are running through my mind when I hear footsteps click in my direction before stopping next to me.

"I'll take you to her" is all she says, her voice betraying the confident nature of her walk. I turn and give her a grateful smile which she doesn't return. Her face is composed to remain in her serious mayor mode but I can see undercurrents of nerves and fear beneath that mask. I guess were the situation reversed I would be nervous too. As it stands I am anxious enough, a situation that I can't say I find agreeable, I don't know how this reunion with Belle will occur and I still don't know if Regina is willing to give me a chance yet. Her coming to join me in the hospital has mildly abated some of the nerves on the latter one but her solemn silence does not particularly help to ease the tension building in the air between us.

We reach the end of a hallway and after a few furtive glances to check for any particularly nosy nurses she presses a code into a keypad and gestures for me to follow her into the basement. I frown as we descend, I had no idea this was here, this must be one of the bits Regina added to the curse herself like the barrier spell. The air in this part of the hospital is colder, there is one nurse manning the desk and she looks tired, she glares at me as I walk past as if disapproving of my presence in this wing. I follow Regina down the hallway and note that there are only two occupants, a long haired man who I recognise from the first week of the curse and my darling Belle.

I almost can't believe I'll be seeing her again, I thought I'd lost her forever, I take a deep breath steadying myself knowing that I will do my best not to push her away again. Little by little, I think, I am piecing my family back together, I will have Belle by my side, Regina is a work in progress but getting there and when the curse breaks I can find Bae as well. My daughter pauses outside the door her hand shaking uncertainly, she suddenly turns to me and I can see the doubt in her features.

"Did you mean it?" she asks.

I don't have to ask what she's referring to, I take a cautious step forward before placing what I hope is a reassuring hand on her arm. I make sure to look her in the eye when I say "Yes"

She nods in response with a small smile. I smile back and notice that she hasn't moved to push my hand off. I'll take that as progress. She sighs again, "She won't remember you. I don't know how to fix that" she frowns as she says that.

"The only way to fix it is by breaking the curse"

She nods weakly, "That's up to Emma Swan"

I find myself momentarily stunned, I had expected her to protest the breaking of the curse but instead she has clearly thought about. "Do you want it broken?" she nods, "I thought this would be my happy ending but until Henry it was just another cage. Now he hates me anyway and all he wants is the curse broken, maybe if Miss Swan figures out how to break the damn thing then I can have a real happy ending not an illusion" she finishes with a heavy sigh and I can see the issue weighs heavily on her mind. A flash of fear flickers in her eyes when she mentions the end of the curse, I understand why, one can imagine that when people wake up and realise what she did that they might not be best pleased.

I offer her a small smile, "I won't let people harm you Regina"

She looks up as if surprised that I knew what was wrong. "You might not be able to stop them" she replies looking down.

I tilt her chin up, "I will"

She nods offering me a smile of gratitude, "Okay. Are you ready?" she asks gesturing to the room that contains Belle.

I nod cautiously and she opens the door before stepping inside and allowing me to enter. She doesn't follow me in instead choosing to linger by the doorway. I take in the sight of Belle who looks at me warily. She's in a hospital gown and a ratty old cardigan, her hair is unkempt and she looks stunned at the sight of another person, "Who are you?" she asks quietly.

I feel my heart fall knowing that she doesn't remember our connection, what do I tell her? It's Regina who answers her, having stepped in without me noticing, "Mr Gold, he's your … partner" she pauses before adding the last word clearly unsure of what to introduce me to her as.

Belle lifts herself slowly from the bed and walks over to me before studying me intently, "I'm sorry" she says sincerely, "I really don't remember you". I blink back tears, "That's alright dearie, you don't remember now but I'm going to take care of you and one day soon you will"

"Very optimistic aren't you?" she replies with a small laugh. I nod even though my life has never led to feeling hopeful. She turns to Regina, "I'm free to leave here?" at the other woman's nod she smiles and turns to me again, "So where are we going?"

* * *

Regina had wanted to go home after she had reunited me with Belle, I tried to convince her to stay but she said she had to get home to Henry. She did apologise for locking up Belle and her inability to restore her memories, even if said apology was somewhat stilted and muffled by her attempts to avoid looking at me while doing it. I offer her a small wave as she begins to walk home to her son. I just hope that when we eventually figure out how to break the curse that she can repair her relationship with him. She returns my wave having refused my offer a lift. I sense she was trying to give Belle and I some privacy which I am grateful for.

Our ride to my house is an odd one, punctuated by moments of silence and her asking me the occasional question about my life. I answer as best as I can but most of the journey she seems content to sit and look at the town she's never seen.

After showing her around the house she asked if she could lie down for a while, the day having been a rather overwhelming one for her given that she has spent most of her time locked up in solitude. I smile showing her to a guest room which luckily is tidy, I assumed she might feel awkward in my room and decided not to push her to stay in there. I'm honestly just glad to have her here with me.

Once she's settled in the bedroom I wander downstairs to my study so I can contemplate how to restore her memories. I promised Regina that I would protect her when the time comes but there's only one way I can achieve both these goals: magic. I sigh knowing my only way of getting magic relies on Miss Swan. Regina did say we could talk tomorrow about the curse, I pause a plan forming in my mind. A plan that will require me to give Regina a nudge in the right direction but it will result in everything I want, the curse will break and I can bring back magic and with that I will protect my family. I just hope my daughter will agree to go along with it.


	8. Chapter 8

_AN: Sorry this took me so long, I had it written in my head, it just took me ages to take it from my head and onto the page. Thanks to CoccinelleMenthol for the original prompt. I don't own Once or its characters. There's probably going to be two more chapters of this and then it will be done. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like it :)_

My plan is deceptively simple really, we use the power of true love to break the curse. I am well aware that my daughter has access to magic somewhere and thus can easily procure a sleeping curse to place upon Miss Swan. Henry, being the smart kid he is will figure this out and kiss her thus breaking her sleeping curse and the one on Storybrooke. My only problem is in getting Regina to agree to this, she already fears losing her son to the Saviour as it is and thinks that this plan will only push him straight into her arms. But surely if she's doing it to break the curse the lad will forgive her?

When I suggested this plan to Regina at our lunch meeting she was not exactly receptive to the idea but luckily I was able to get her to come around to it. After all it is the only plan we have.

_"You want to do what?!" _

_"It's quite simple dearie, we place Miss Swan under the sleeping curse and Henry will wake her and when he does it will wake up the town as well" _

_At this she stands, "Henry already hates me. If I do this he will never forgive me" her tone is laced with the kind of sorrow that comes from months of his rejection. _

_"Regina, if you explain to him that this is the quickest way to break the curse than I'm sure he'll understand" _

_She shakes her head, "He won't. I want to be a better mother for him Gold and cursing Emma isn't going to do me any favours" _

_I step closer to her before uttering my next words, "What better way to prove yourself to him than engineering the breaking of your own curse dearie?" she flinches at my words and I frown having heard the low manipulative tone to my voice. _

_"He won't like it" she mutters._

_"Regina he wants the curse broken, we want the curse broken. We all want the same thing, I'm sure he won't object" I reason._

_"He won't like it because he won't want to see Emma get hurt" she practically spits out the name clearly bitter that her son is concerned about Emma but not about what will happen to her when the curse is broken._

_"A means to an end dearie and besides it won't hurt her, she'll merely be asleep" _

_"What if Henry can't wake her?" _

_I smile, "He will"_

_She frowns, "Are you sure this will work?"_

_"Yes" _

_"Henry will hate me" _

_"He won't" admittedly I'm not sure about that but I need her to do this, plus I'm sure he'll understand that we had to orchestrate this to break the curse._

_She sighs before sitting back in her desk, I watch as she closes her eyes before giving a slow nod, "Fine"_

* * *

It is when a frantic Regina and Emma come running into my shop that I know the plan has not gone as I expected. I can see by the determined look on Emma's face and the way she occasionally shoots glares at me and my daughter that she now knows the truth. I look up from where I have been polishing off Charming's sword and look to Regina. Her face is a mixture of devastation, betrayal, anger and fear. It is then that I realise that this plan was a mistake. I may have unwittingly cost her anything. There is only one person who could unite these two and that means that my grandson is under a sleeping curse.

I have to look away from their stares for a moment unable to look my daughter in the eye upon realising what I caused her to do to her own son. Suddenly an idea clicks in my brain and I know how I can still get magic and get the curse broken.

"Gold" Emma says coldly, "You need to wake him up"

"I can't do that dearie. I believe you know what will wake him up"

"True Love" Regina replies bitterly.

"Luckily for you I happen to have bottled some for a rainy day"

"Well it's storming like a bitch. Where is it?"

I turn to Regina, "Tell me dearie, is your friend still in the basement?" she frowns confused before the anger returns, "You twisted little imp. You hid it with her?"

"Not with her. Inside of her"

"So how exactly are we supposed to get it?" Emma asks.

"Not we, just you" I reply pointing to Emma.

"But he's my son!" Regina interjects clearly anxious to get on with this and revive Henry.

"He's her son and it has to be her because she is the product of the magic"

I see Emma gasp in understanding, "True Love, it's why I can break the curse"

"Exactly"

"Yeah, well I don't care about that, what do I have to do to get this potion thing?"

I quickly explain to her that all she has to do is kill the dragon and retrieve the egg and all will be fine. I know I need to say something to my daughter, "Regina" I call but she ignores me already chasing after Emma as they begin their quest.

* * *

I frown before entering the library knowing full well that she will hate me after this. Part of me begins to wonder if I should just let them keep the egg but I know I can't. I need it to bring back the magic so I can protect Belle and my daughter and eventually find my son. Besides Emma Swan should be able to wake up Henry.

I sneak into the library as quietly as I can to see my daughter standing guard by the elevator clearly waiting upon Miss Swan. She doesn't notice me enter.

"Regina" I say alerting her to my presence.

She turns surprised, I can see the slight hint of red around her eyes where she has clearly been crying. "What are you doing here?" she asks coldly whilst staring at me intensely. I can feel the anger crackling in the air around her. "You said this would work. You said it would be Emma!" she says emphasising the "You" both times.

I nod, "I'm sorry, I didn't know that it would be Henry"

"Either way now Rumple, I lose the only thing that matters to me: my son. Why would you do this to me? Haven't you done enough?"

Those questions I know will ring in my ears for days, I stop moving towards her then knowing that I have once again been the trigger for her pain, for her regret, for her mistakes. I steel myself knowing I'll need a strong resolve for what I am about to do now.

I pull out a chair and turn it away from the elevator, "Have a seat, please" I turn expecting to see a look of anger on her face but instead I'm met with an expression of sadness. She moves slowly, almost numbly, to the seat. She sits down on the chair before looking up at me, face a myriad of fear and shock. "What are you doing here"? This time the question lacks the vitriol of earlier, instead oozing confusion.

I pull out the rope from behind me and I see her eyes widen, immediately she begins to struggle, "Please sit still" I say hating myself for having to use this spell. I watch as her body goes limp and as she tries to restrain her tears and fear. I watch her expression as I begin to fasten the ropes around, "I'm sorry" I whisper seeing her face shift into anger "No. You don't get to be sorry. You're taking my son's best shot. You're really willing to risk his life for magic? You evil bastard" I know she's right and I wish I didn't have to do this but I have no other way.

I see her eyes widen in fear again when she sees the tape "No, no, please don't, I'll be quiet, please don't" her pleas break my heart but I know that she'll warn Miss Swan and I need that egg. "I'm sorry" I repeat as I place the tape over her mouth. I can see the tears prickling at the edge of her eyes as she begins to struggle against the restraints and scream against the tape. I place my hands on her shoulders flinching as she tries to push them off. "Regina, I promise you Henry will be fine. He will. I am so sorry but I need to bring magic back and this is the only way. Everything's going to be fine" I say to her before moving as fast as I can to the elevator to wait on Miss Swan. I can't stand near my daughter and watch her cry and struggle knowing I am the cause of it.

After what feels like agonising hours if trying to ignore Regina's muffled pleas, I know this memory will haunt me for the rest of my days, I finally hear Miss Swan get back into the elevator. I swallow down the lump that had formed in my throat before stopping the contraption. "Regina!" she calls. Upon hearing her name my daughter begins to struggle more fervently, I frown feeling that guilt bubbling inside of me again. I lean over the edge of the lift, "I'm afraid she's abandoned you dearie"

Emma frowns, I can tell she's suspicious of my lie but she's in no position to do anything about it with her son's life on the line, "I'm coming up"

I shake my head, "You can't climb up and carry that, just toss the egg up here" I say proffering my hand.

I see her deliberating, "Your boy will be fine. I guarantee it"

She nods before tossing up the egg which I catch with ease, I don't even wait for her to begin climbing before I walk away. I turn at the door to take one last look at Regina, "He will be fine, I promise" I say glancing at her slightly reddened face. I feel her eyes staring daggers into me as I hear Emma call "Regina!" again.

* * *

I take Belle with me to the well, as we were walking through the woods we felt a burst of light and she remembered. I smile knowing that the curse is over and that Belle knows who I am. Straight away I pull her in for a kiss, having missed her so much, "Rumplestiltskin" she says wonder in her voice. "What are we doing out here?" she asks with a small confused frown.

"I'll explain later" we continue our walk in silence, she having picked up on my tension, and I plagued by the image of my daughter's haunted expression as I left her in that chair. The words "Haven't you done enough?" keep playing through my head, I wish I could shake them off.

I close my eyes and try to shove away the memory though I know full well it will be back. We finally reach the well and I briefly explain the power of the water to Belle before pouring the purple concoction in. I just hope that it's worth all the trouble. I just hope it will keep us all safe.

_Thanks for reading, let me know what you thought :)_


	9. Chapter 9

_AN: Penultimate chapter guys. Thanks for reading, following, favouriting and reading this story. Should hopefully have the last part up over the weekend. I don't own Once or its characters. Thanks again to CoccinelleMenthol for the prompt. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like this part :)_

I made the wrong decision. I should have known that magic always come with a price and that price appears to be that I failed my daughter. I brought magic back and she suffered as a result of it. I wanted the curse broke and to a degree so did she but I didn't realise the ramifications. People were unsurprisingly angry at her for casting the curse that brought us here. That irksome pest Frankenstein led a mob to Regina's house, they had plans for vengeance and violence: fools. Fortunately Emma Swan saved the day once more and rescued my daughter, I'll admit that was a surprise, I didn't realise that her desire to save people would extend to Regina.

I heard that they put her in a jail cell. I need to see her so I leave Belle in the shop telling her to stay in the back so as to avoid being pestered by any unwanted visitors and head to the station. Regina's earlier words are still ringing in my ears and I'm beginning to wish I hadn't pushed her into breaking that curse. I know Henry survived but he left the hospital with Emma Swan and not my daughter which means I failed her once again.

I walk quietly into the station avoiding the Charmings with surprising ease and once they leave I step forward into the main room. I can see my daughter trying to force the cell door open with a growing look of frustration and I frown before realising that she doesn't have magic. That isn't the way it's meant to be, I think, why did her magic not start?

Her head snaps up at the sound of my cane tapping on the station floor, "I don't want to speak to you" she growls out gripping the bars with her fists. "Why aren't you using magic?" I ask. She glares at me, "It isn't working. Why are you here Gold?"

"I wanted to see you"

"Well I don't want to see you. Thanks to you my son still hates me, I've lost him to Miss Swan and I'm in jail because everyone thinks I have magic. Just leave me alone please" she emphasises the last word and I suppress a shudder thinking of the last time I used that word on her. Her words remind me that I haven't protected her at all, instead I cost her at son and now she's in a jail cell. This isn't how this was supposed to be I think wondering how I can fix this.

I cautiously step closer to the bars as she fixes me with an icy glare, "Go away" she says forcefully. I place a hand on one of her clenched fists, "I'm sorry Regina. I made a mistake and I'm sorry. I'm going to find a way to fix this I promise" she scoffs and retracts her hands from the bars. She turns her back on me, "Go away" she repeats though this time not as sternly. I sigh conflicted knowing that if I stay I may only push her further away but also not really wanting to leave her alone here. When she sees I'm still standing outside the cell she rushes at the bars again before gritting out "Go away!"

I frown but nod, "I'll be back Regina"

I'm so consumed by thoughts of how to make this right that I don't notice the figure slipping into the station as I leave.

* * *

Emma and her irksomely saccharine parents come to pay me a visit in the shop. How nice I think sarcastically wishing I could just be left alone. They have come seeking answers about my motives for bringing the magic back to this town as if that's any of their business. The saviour remarks that she'd like to punch me in the face because obviously that will solve all of our problems I think with an eye roll. I inform her that really she should thank me for reuniting her with her family, as I speak to the Sheriff I realise that my actions have actually helped Emma far more than my own daughter. I am pulled from such thoughts by an eerie wind shrieking through the town. There's a small crackle in the air and the lights begin sparking. I feel a chill run down my spine and I know something is wrong here.

I quickly turn and see what I hadn't noticed before due to the Charming's untimely arrival, an open box on my shelves. Oh dear god no, I think as I see that it is indeed empty. I suppress a shudder before turning back to face the others in the shop, "It's going after Regina" I whisper feeling horrified. I did this. I brought magic to this town and now it might cost me everything. I barely register Emma and her parents running out of the shop. My body seems to be paralysed by fear as the danger my daughter is in begins to weigh heavily on my mind. Haven't I caused her to suffer enough? Apparently not I think bitterly, gods just let her be alright. I sigh knowing Regina's fate now rests on the Charmings.

* * *

I make it about twenty minutes before I give up. I can't sit around twiddling my thumbs while my daughter faces a wraith. The street outside is empty and cold, I shudder knowing a wraith has been through this road, the effects of its carnage clearly visible by the way that cars are upside down, signs broken and lights blown out. I limp my way over to the town hall, the creature isn't here. The station is empty and I frown before seeing lights on upstairs and realising they must be up in the town hall.

I walk carefully up the stairs hoping I'm not too late. As I climb to the floor of the mayor's office a chill rushes through the air once more. I grab the stair rail to steady my balance, the eerie shriek that accompanies the cold wind lets me know that it's here. I inch closer to the office but no-one is there, I can hear the commotion coming from the town hall. I crack the door open and see Charming battling the beast with some fire but I know that won't hold it back long.

I'm about to enter the room when my heart catches in my throat upon seeing Regina, she's alive, I think and the relief that sweeps through my body suddenly stops all movement. She's still alive. I frown upon seeing her spinning the head in a futile manner, I can see her panic building because it isn't working when suddenly Emma kneels down next to her, grabs her arm and then the magic comes to life. I pause surprised, how did that happen? Clearly Miss Swan is more powerful than I imagined. At the moment I barely care because it means she saved my daughter, I can tell what it is they're planning to do here and it's really rather ingenious.

Fear rises in me again when I see the wraith break through Charming's barrier, as she stands Regina pauses and catches my gaze and I realise she's seen me but no the imminent danger. My own shout of warning is drowned out by Emma's. I watch stunned as Miss Swan pushes my daughter out of harm's reach. In a blink of an eye she too is gone along with Snow. Regina barely recovers her composure before Charming barrels at her. I can feel her defences shooting up and a mixture of panic and anger crackling in the air around them. I catch snippets of their argument, most of the sound drowned out by my own relief at seeing my child alive.

I watch as her magic suddenly flares out and pins Charming to the wall. For a moment she looks stunned clearly surprised at the way her magic is suddenly sparking up. The main thing I can sense is anger, she never was good at controlling her rage, she moves closer to him and I realise that she needs to be stopped. I step out surprising Charming. "Regina. Let him go"

"Why should I listen to you?" she asks, an evil grin on her face.

"Regina think. You don't want to do this" I can tell Charming is beginning to gasp for air.

I can see emotions conflicting on her face and her magic continues to run free keeping Charming pinned to the wall. "Regina. You need to control the magic" I say keeping my tone steady making sure I don't accidentally anger or upset her further. At my words Charming's brow furrows in confusion clearly unaware that she isn't controlling this magic.

Her internal battle is interrupted by a "Mom!" cutting through the air. Henry's look of horror and confusion says it all about how this situation is being read. "Henry" Regina says surprised at seeing him here, I can tell that his presence has clearly succeeded in calming her down. The vines drop themselves down, "This isn't what it looks like" she begins but Henry shakes his head.

"Where are Emma and Snow?"

I watch as she crouches down in front of him whilst Ruby runs to help the shepherd prince up. "Henry they fell through a portal. I'm sorry"

"No you're not" he spits angrily before his falls into a devastatingly heartbroken expression, "You really are the evil queen"

I see Regina's breath catch her in her throat, she clearly doesn't know how to respond. "I never want to see you again" Henry says.

"No don't say that. I love you" she pleads.

"Then prove it. Get Emma and Mary-Margaret back. Until then, leave me, leave everyone alone!"

I can tell she's on the verge of tears, "But where will you go?"

"With me" Charming croaks out before stalking past her taking Henry and Ruby out of the room as well. My daughter stands, a look of loss and hurt pasted on her face. Her son doesn't think she loves him and left her here, I can understand why she's upset. I wish I knew how to make this better. I walk slowly over to her knowing that I'm not letting her stay alone tonight, I left her once already and look what happened.

"Regina" I say before gently placing a hand on her shoulder. This time she doesn't shrug me off, she's still staring in the direction of where her son just walked out. "I'm sorry Regina"

"I love him" she whispers.

"I know"

"I wasn't controlling that magic"

"I know"

"He thinks I did it on purpose. How am I supposed to get Emma and Snow back?"

"I don't know Regina, we'll think of something"

She turns to me, "We?"

I nod, "I meant what I said earlier, I'm going to try and help you. I'm sorry. I know magic has a price but you shouldn't have to pay for my bringing it here. Who sent the wraith after you?" I need to know who did this.

"Jefferson"

The hatter. He'll pay for this I think. Regina notices my angry expression "Rumple. Just leave him alone. Please." I feel my anger dissipating at her voice and force myself to take a few deep breaths, there's been enough rage today, enough magic I think. I can feel Regina's gaze on me. I turn to face her again and see that she has stepped a little closer to me. I smile. She gives me a curious look.

"You're smiling"

"You're alive"

She nods and smiles, "So is Henry" her smile quickly fades thinking of her earlier conversation with him. I move hesitantly before slowly wrapping one arm around her shoulders. She surprises me by moving into the hug and leaning in. "I'll help you Regina. We'll get Emma and Snow back. Henry will see that you're trying."

She shakes her head and I pull in closer for a hug hoping to comfort her at least a little. Slowly she reciprocates, "He will Regina. I promise he'll see and I'll be here to help you" I feel her nod slightly against my shoulder and I know that this time I am making the right decision.

_Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think :)_


	10. Chapter 10

_AN: Okay this is it, the final chapter. Thank you once again to CoccinelleMenthol for the original prompt. Thank you to the people who read, favourited, followed and reviewed this story. You guys rock. Apologies for any mistakes. This ends at the end of 2x09 before Cora arrives. Hope you like this final part :)_

So far the attempts at bringing back Miss Swan and her mother have been at best futile. Charming has been obsessed with using the hat as a portal in spite of Regina and myself telling him that without the magic of the hatter himself it isn't going to repair itself. I'll admit my efforts have been split between the question of portals and the barrier my spell my daughter placed around this town. Apparently as well as still preventing others from getting in, we still are trapped unless we wish to lose our memories and in my case my powers. I don't think I would lose memories since I was one of the few without a cursed memory but I'd rather not take the risk of ending up with false memories or none at all.

There was a horrible incident a few days ago when that idiot doctor Frankenstein took it upon himself to reanimate the stable boy forcing my daughter to use magic when she had promised Henry she would stop.

_My perusal of my maps and spell books is interrupted by my daughter barrelling through the door. Since the town hall we have actually managed to make some headway in our relationship which I have enjoyed. Regina was asked to step down as Mayor which she didn't like but did agree to and has started therapy with the cricket. I find myself feeling oddly proud of her, she has committed to change for Henry. I wish I had been able to do the same for Bae and for her but I can try and make amends for that now. "Did y-you put him u-up to it?" she sobs out and I raise my head seeing her red tear stained face. I have no idea what she's talking about. She looks utterly devastated. I walk over to her, "Regina, what's wrong?"_

_"Y-you don't know?" she chokes out._

_I shake my head, "I don't. What happened?" I'm surprised when she suddenly collapses against my chest. I recover my senses and move to hug her properly. I hold her as she sobs catching the odd word of the story. She mentions Whale and hearts and Daniel and I freeze realising what that infernal doctor did. I remember how well it went when he tried it on his brother and I have a feeling it didn't work out much better this time. "H-he wasn't D-Daniel. Then he was. He asked m-me to stop the pain. I…I…I… had to" her explanation cuts off into sobs and I shush her having pieced together what happened. The magic still crackles around her. Her anguish makes my own heart ache, this was cruel, I know Frankenstein might want revenge for the curse but this seems too far. _

_I lose all track of time as I wait for daughter's tears to ease, unsurprisingly it takes a while. Eventually she calms down. She worries that Henry will hate her for this, I have to reassure her that this was at least magic for good but she needs to hear this from her son. I nod squeezing her shoulder gently in one final act of reassurance before she gives me a watery smile and leaves._

The doctor paid me a visit shortly after this asking me to reattach his arm. I could have refused but I had to know why he did it. He spun me a frankly absurd story about wanting to get in her good graces so she would return him to his land. What an idiot. One, Regina does not have the capabilities for that and two, he should have known what would happen to Daniel based on what occurred with his brother.

At the moment I am somewhat distracted, as is customary of those who have been under the sleeping curse Henry has begun having nightmares. I could see the guilt wash over Regina when I diagnosed the problem with her son. She was watching him since the shepherd was off dealing with King George who it appears has destroyed the hat. Henry's nightmares though have since revealed a far more dangerous fact: Cora. Her arriving in Storybrooke would be disastrous for us all and I cannot inflict her upon Regina again.

We set up an opportunity for Henry to go under again so he can tell Emma and Snow how to defeat that wretched woman. It fails. Aurora is pulled from the netherworld and Henry is burned. Henry allows his mother to comfort him which I know surprises her. I use my magic to heal the injury, given its severity it seemed right. He wants to go under again but both Charming and Regina refuse. The shepherd foolishly agrees to go under. Let's hope his theory about Snow being able to wake him will work. Quite frankly I have my doubts.

I watch as Henry goes to talk to Regina while she prepares the sleeping curse. He asks her if she's been using magic, she hasn't, the only time she slipped was with Daniel and he forgives her for that. "Will this work?" he asks.

"It should do. David will be asleep so he'll be okay"

"Will he wake up?"

She smiles before reaching across to hold his hand, "Henry if there's one thing I know about your grandparents it's that they always find each other"

At that he grins again, "So is it finished?"

"Nearly"

"Mom can I ask you a question?"

"You can ask me anything Henry"

"Why is Rumple helping us? I thought you guys hated each other"

I watch as she deliberates before turning to him again, "We did but new information came to light"

"New information?" he asks curiously.

"Yes. It turns out that he is my father. It's why he helped me make sure the curse broke and why he's helping us now"

"He's your Dad? You guys wanted the curse broken?"

She nods, "Yes and I'm sorry that it happened the way it did. You know I never intended to hurt you right? It's why I can't risk you going back to that world again"

He nods, "I know Mom. So he's my Grandpa then?"

She smiles, "Yes I guess so. It's finished" she says pointing to the vial and so I leave to go prepare Charming for what he is about to put himself through.

ooo

We wait for hours but he doesn't wake up. Regina reassures Henry that he will as soon as Emma and Snow arrive back. I wish I had her faith that they will. I can't risk my daughter's life on the off-chance that it's Snow and Emma who come through. I won't let her fall into Cora's hands again. People fear me and my daughter but they don't know Cora. She's malicious and evil. She has no heart and I know she wouldn't think twice about hurting Regina or Henry if it meant power. I must protect them. Henry and Regina keep talking as if it's going to be Snow and Emma coming through that portal but we don't even know if they got our message. Even if they did they still might not be able to stop her. I know I can't take the risk. I look in on my daughter and grandson. I could use her magical help on this one but I know I can't use her again, no I think, this is something I must do myself. It's a drastic measure but I must stop Cora coming through the portal. I must protect my family.

I enter the room slowly knowing I'm about to lie to them both. When they notice me they both look at me expectantly and my decision is made, I can't let Cora come through and hurt them. "Regina, Henry can you stay here with David for a little while, I just need to make some preparations for Emma and Snow's arrival"

Henry nods but I can see my daughter has her suspicions, "Do you need any help?"

I shake my head, "No, it's nothing I can't handle myself dearie" I pause before I exit needing to tell her this just in case I lose her again after what I'm about to do, "Regina, know that I love you" I say placing a gentle kiss to her stunned forehead before I exit.

ooo

I make a brief stop in the mines to harness the power of the diamond dust and hope that Regina will understand why I had to do this and why I couldn't let her be involved. It doesn't take me long to enact the curse on the well. It is undoubtedly where the portal will link to since these waters bring back what is lost. No-one will survive the curse I have placed on it though and I watch knowing this will stop Cora coming through. She won't hurt my daughter or her family again.

My ears prick up upon hearing the noise of running from behind me and I frown. "Rumple?" I hear Regina ask. I see she, Henry and Ruby all looking at me accusingly and confusedly. Ruby moves to speak but I fling her across the woods, I see no need for her to be here for this.

"What are you doing?" Henry asks.

"I'm protecting you" I say.

Regina looks at the well, "What did you do?" she sounds horrified.

"I can't let Cora come through that well Regina. She'll hurt you and she'll hurt Henry. I won't let that happen"

"But what if it's Emma and Snow?" Henry pipes up.

I shake my head, "Cora is far more powerful than they are Henry"

"No" he says, "You're going to kill them!" he shouts before running at the well.

"Henry!" Regina cries before running after him. I watch as she just about catches him, "What do you think you're doing?" she asks pulling him away from the well.

"He's going to kill them"

"What if he's right?" she asks quietly.

Henry remains confident, "He isn't. You asked me to believe in you and I do. I believe you want it change, to be better so have faith in me. It will be Emma and Snow who come through not your Mom"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Stop this"

No I think, no. Please don't go up there. "Regina" I call out desperately but she ignores me and raises her hands above the well. My blood runs cold, no, no, no, please don't let me have hurt my own daughter again. She's struggling and I can see tears rolling down her face, it clearly hurts. I look at Henry who is staring shocked at what she's doing. She's doing this for him. I wish I could have been this brave for my son or for her. Just please let her be okay. She's suffering once again for one of my bad decisions. Will I ever make a decision that won't hurt her? I think bitterly watching as my daughter continues to fight the curse. I can barely breathe watching this. Suddenly she is thrown from the well and she stumbles to lean heavily against a tree. She survived. I don't even care how. She survived that.

Her son pays her no attention instead staring at the well with a look of heart-breaking devastation. "Henry I'm sorry" Regina says hoarsely and I frown, she has nothing to be sorry about, I put that damn thing on the well and she nearly sacrificed herself to remove it. I hobble over to where she's still crumpled on the ground. She accepts my help up as Henry gasps and we see a familiar red sleeve come over the well. They defeated Cora? I don't think I've ever been more pleased to be wrong. It wasn't Cora coming through. I breathe out a sigh of relief. Henry tells them both that Regina saved them. Snow goes to hug the werewolf girl and Emma and Henry waddle over to them.

"Your Mom, she's a real piece of work, you know?"

Regina leans half into me and half against the tree, "Indeed I do" and sadly she does. I watch as she suddenly grins, "Welcome back"

"Thank you" Emma replies before leaning up against Henry.

ooo

They all wanted to come back to the shop to where the dwarves were standing vigil over their prince. Regina and I lagging behind the rest of them, me due to the limp and her due to tiredness from sucking in the curse. She leant against me the whole way back but given the silent nature of our walk I feel that was more for practical purposes.

Emma corners me whilst everyone else is reuniting to discuss Cora's inability to take her heart. Clearly she is more powerful than she realises but she is the product of true love, surely by know she must know how strong that makes her?

She leaves and I come out watching as Henry gives Regina a hug which she gratefully receives. I smile upon seeing her so happy, I'm currently surprised that she is suffering no ill effect from the curse but I find myself more pleased that she seems physically unharmed. Emma calls for him and they all leave her again. She saved them, I think, would it kill them to extend at least a dinner invitation? Regina's face crumbles as she watches Henry leave and I can see she's holding back on crying. She turns and sees me watching and she surprises me by walking over to me.

"Are you alright?" I ask needing to know.

"Just tired"

I nod, "Do you have any idea how much you scared me when you went up to that well?"

"About as scared as I was when Henry ran towards it?"

I smile at her, "I was petrified" I admit. "Please don't do that again"

"I won't" she sighs, "I know why you did it"

"Pardon?"

"I know why you put the curse on the well. You did it to protect me"

"That I did"

"Thank you" she says before stepping forward and hugging me, I blink in surprise before returning the embrace, "She can't come through now right?" I know she's talking about her mother, "No, I don't think she can." She sighs and smiles, "Good. Now she won't be able to hurt Henry"

"Or you" I reply and she nods sleepily.

"Henry says I've changed"

I smile, "You have. You're a better parent than I could ever hope to be Regina. You risked your life for him"

At that she smiles a little, "I love him. It's what he wanted. They still wouldn't even ask me for dinner though" she adds bitterly. She tries to blow that last bit off as if she's indifferent to that but I can tell it upsets her.

"They're idiots. I would love to have dinner with you dearie" we've never actually had a meal together but I'd certainly like to start.

She smiles again before nodding, "I'd like that"

It might not seem like much but it's a step in the right direction. She showed me today what I'm supposed to do as her father. So far my decisions were based on what I needed and wanted and I realise now that I was wrong, I need to put her before myself and I'll try. So, I think leading her out of the shop and to my car, dinner is a good place to begin.

_Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed the story :)_


End file.
